From casual 5K runners to ultra-marathoners, many athletes enjoy a beer at the finish line. But does the brew help or hamper performance?

Ultra runners Melanie Boultbee, left, and sister April, right, run through High Park.

By:Emily MathieuInvestigative News reporter, Published on Tue May 21 2013

Identical twins April and Melanie Boultbee recently ran a gruelling North Face Endurance Challenge — a 50 kilometre course in Bear Mountain, N.Y., which they both describe as one of the toughest, most technical races they have ever run.

At the end, April got her leg patched up in the medical tent. But before pounding back nutrient-packed recovery drinks, the Boultbees, who are 41, went for a more everyman reward: a cold beer offered to runners after the finish line.

“I don’t think it inhibits recovery at all,” says Melanie, a public school teacher from Toronto. “And I enjoy a good beer after a long run.”

April echoed her sister, noting “obviously, people shouldn’t drink to excess,” but beer does contain carbohydrates, which the body needs after working out.

Beer stands at the finish line are common: Participants in Tough Mudder, an obstacle course race in its second year in the Toronto area, are lured to the end with the promise of a competitor headband, bragging rights and a cold beer. The annual Achilles St. Patrick’s 5K Run/Walk in Toronto ends at the Steam Whistle brewery, where runners are treated to chili and beer.

There are numerous studies on how beer impacts fitness and recovery. Authors point to the potential harm (it can dehydrate athletes and boost aggressive behaviour) or moderate health benefits (dark beer contains carbohydrates and antioxidants).

But many conclude the exact impact on performance is difficult to measure, partially because the effects change based on how fit people are, their body type and what else they’ve consumed.

In Alcohol, Athletic Performance and Recovery, published in 2010, authors Luke D. Vella and David Cameron-Smith summarize a variety of studies and conclude that while “the detrimental effects of alcohol” on the human body are well documented, “the notion that alcohol consumption impacts performance has not received enough consistent validation to advance beyond being anecdotal.”

A regular “run, then we drink” ritual with friends and conflicting studies on how beer might impact her performance prompted former scientist Christie Aschwanden to organize an experiment with Colorado Mesa University for Runner’s World. A small group of men and women alternated running and drinking beer, with some unknowingly consuming non-alcoholic beer. Then a scientist analyzed the results of multiple runs. They found beer had at most a modest negative impact on performance, and it may have even provided a boost for the women.

In Toronto, there are several groups that cater to runners who enjoy mixing beer with a workout.

The Hogtown Hash House Harriers — part of an international group who dub themselves drinkers with a running problem — plan stops where they can enjoy a beer along the way and at the end of the run.

Then there’s the Toronto Beer Mile, where runners chug four beers while sprinting. The Boultbees, who are regular participants, say notable challenges included learning how to belch without breaking your stride and swift intoxication that hits after the finish line.

The twins take a far more moderate approach to beer drinking year round.

Tim Cigelske, a 31-year-old Wisconsin resident and founder of The Beer Runner blog, through Draft Magazine, has run at least a mile and drank at least one beer every day since Oct. 4, 2010.

He says last summer he had some of the best, or fastest, runs of his life.

“I don’t know if beer had anything to do with that, but it certainly didn’t hamper my ability,” said Cigelske. Almost 10,000 people follow him on Twitter @TheBeerRunner and his blog is a hub for anyone interested in learning more about beer, running, or events that mix both.

Sports nutritionist, author and runner Nancy Clark cautions that beer is diuretic and if consumed on an empty dry stomach will hit a runner “like a ton of bricks.” After a run, you should drink water first, or consume carbohydrates and protein, before having a pint, she said.

While carbohydrates refuel the body, protein is the key to rebuilding and repairing muscles, said Clark.

If you are looking for a drink to replenish your body after your workout you are better off choosing juice or chocolate milk, she said.

A runner could also mix lemonade with beer to make a shandy, a slightly more hydrating beverage, she suggests.

Bottom line for Clark, a former marathon runner, is athletes can absolutely enjoy a beer, as long as they balance it with proper nutrition and hydration.

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